Italy Part 29

I feel as though I'm rounding the last bend and speeding towards the finish line of my Italian cooking challenge. Since the beginning of the challenge in early June, I've been keeping track of the recipes using a word document saved to my desktop. Each week I open it up, map out the next Italian meals and dishes to be made, prepare a grocery list, and schedule blog posts.  Today, I opened up this document only to see one remaining recipe that has not been crossed out!  Just one!

However, let's save the balloons and ribbons until that final day comes. Besides,  I have some catching up to do with sharing some previously made recipes!  Let me share with you another elegant Italian cake called, Zuppa inglese (p. 142), aka "cold cake." Making this cake began with preparing the foundation: "Madeira cake." I wasn't exactly sure what this was, and of course, my local grocery stores don't carry any. Remembering back to the Madeira-infused Cassata all Siciliana cake from last month, I made the same sponge cake recipe drizzled generously with Madeira wine. 

The sponge cake fresh out of the bunt pan,
anticipating a shower of Madeira wine.

Cutting the cake into three separate layers. 

After the boozy cake base was ready, I made the custard filling.  In the past, the only homemade custard I have made involved following the directions on the back of a box of flan pudding.  Italian custard is bit more complicated. First, slowly heat a pan of milk containing a split vanilla bean. While the milk is heating, whisk egg yolks, flour and sugar to create a pale, creamy batter. Once bubbles begin to form on the sides of milk pan, add the egg yolk mixture to the milk and stir over medium heat until the custard boils. Continue to stir until it thickens.  

Left: Egg yolks, flour and sugar.
Right: Milk and vanilla bean.   

Stirring, stirring, stirring.
After about 30 minutes, the custard looked like this. 

Once the custard mixture had thickened, I removed the pan from the burner and allowed it to cool slightly.  During this time, I had to apply more alcohol to the Madeira cake. This time rum mixed with a little bit of water. I was surprised by how much liquid I was giving the cake, however, perhaps it was to prevent the cake from drinking up the custard (remember, this same sponge cake soaked up all of its whipped cream topping in the past). The final step was assembly: a layer of cake, a layer of custard, another layer of cake, another layer of custard... finishing with a layer of custard sprinkled with chocolate shavings and sliced slivered almonds.

Custard layers.
Notice that the hole from the bunt pan was filled in
with extra sponge cake cut from the bottom. 

Zuppa inglese, 
another elegant Italian dessert!

The hardest part of this recipe involved waiting the minimum three hours to allow the cake to refrigerate.  Once that timer goes off, grab a fork and sharpen your elbows. This cake so good it's worth fighting over. In fact, my husband and I finished this entire sweet-tiered masterpiece in two days!